Heating system.



G. A; STJBRNQUIST. HEATING SYSTEM.

, APPLICATION FILED APR. 1, 1910. 1 ()89 59 8 Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

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C. A. STJERNQUIST. HEATING SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED APR. 1, 1910.

1,089,598, Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

CHARLES A. STJERNQUIST, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

HEATING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

Application filed April 1. 1910. Serial No. 552,895.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES A. STJERN- QUIST,a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago,in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Heating Systems; and I do hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the numbers ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to steam heating systems, and has for its mainobject to provide an improved system wherein a portion of the steamgenerated is utilized to perform the double function of maintaining apartial vacuum in the return side of the system, whereby the circulationof the steam therethrough will be aided, and of returning the water ofcondensation to the heater.

My invention also embodies certain minor improved details ofconstruction, as will be hereinafter more definitely pointed out andclaimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure l is a somewhat diagrammatic view of a heating system embodyingmy invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the suction chamber. Fig. 3is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section on line 44 ofFig. 3. Fig. 5 is a section on line 55 of Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a top planview of the air valve. Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the air chamber.Fig. 8 is a section taken on line 88 of Fig. 7.

As shown in the drawings: 1, indicates a generator which may be of anysuitable construction, but which, for convenience, is shown ascomprising a heating coil 2. In a coil generator the water feed pipe 3communicates with the return pipe for the coil and in a generator havinga water chamber the pipe 3, will open into any suitable part of thechamber, said pipe communicating with any suitable source of supply, as,for instance, a supply tank or water main. A discharge or steam pipe 4,communicates with the outlet end of the heating coil or water chamber,communicating with which are the pipes 56, which supply steam to theradiators 7.

A suction or siphoning mechanism is connected across the coil 2, orwater chamber of the generator with the steam pipe 4, and return pipe40, for the heater. Said suction device comprises a suction chamber 8,which has a restricted outlet end 9, which is externally threaded. Apipe 10, is threaded on the end of said suction chamber and is connectedwith the return pipe 40, for the generator. Threaded into the top of thesuction chamber is a cap 11, through which is threaded a pipe 12, whichextends below the inlet pipe 13, for the suction chamber and v isslightly restricted at its discharge end to act as an ejector. The upperend of said pipe 12, is connected in the steam pipe 4. A pipe 14,connects the steam pipe 4, with the inlet pipe 13, for the suctionchamber 8, and affords a direct return. A return pipe 15, communicateswith the inlet pipe 13, for the suction chamber 8, and riser pipes orreturn pipes 16, discharge into said return pipe 15, from the radiators.

Supported in any convenient position is an air chamber or tank 17, whichcommunicates with the return pipe 15, by means of a pipe 18, and alsocommunicates with the inlet pipe 13, for the suction chamber 8, by meansof a pipe 19.

Secured to the air chamber 17, is an air valve 20, which comprises astem 21, adapted at one end to be threaded into the casing and which'isprovided with a passage 22, opening through each end of the stem. Atube or casing 23, is threaded 011 the opposite end of the stem 21, anda plug 24, is threaded into the upper end of the casing 23, and isprovided with a passage 25. A cap 41, is threaded on said plug and isprovided with a small aperture 42.

Both the plug and stem are provided with internal valve seats 26,against which are adapted to seat the valve closures 27-28, which areeach connected to a stem 29, or 30. The lower stem 29, is constructed ofany suitable metal as iron or steel and the stem 30, is constructed ofsuitable material having a high heat coefiicient of expansion.

The construction of the valve is such that when cold air enters thechamber 17, from the system the pressure unseats valve 27, and

escapes through the valve casing and valve 28, to the atmosphere butwhen steam enters the chamber 17 and valve casing, the stem 30, expandsforcing valve closures 27 and 28, on their seats to prevent escape ofsteam. Atmospheric air cannot enter the air chamber 17, as the valve 27,would seat by gravity and air pressure to efiectively preclude admissionof atmospheric air.

The operation is as follows: On'starting the system, the return pipes 15and 16, are full or partially filled with water, and also steam pipe 4t,and direct return pipe 14, may be full or partially filled with water.As steam is generated it rises in steam pipe l, against the pressure ofthe water that may be contained therein. The steam first reaches thepipe 12, into .which a part of it passes, and from whence it enters thesuction chamber 8, at the discharge end creating a suction or producinga siphoning action to draw the water from pipes 14L and 15, and therisers 16, and radiator supply pipes 6. The water is thus quicklysiphoned or drawn from said pipes relieving thepressure otherwiseimpeding the advancement of the steam which permits the steam to rapidlycirculate through the pipes 56, to the radiators. This water isdelivered to the generator by the forcing action of the steam passingthrough said pipe 12, as is all the water of condensation as it is drawninto chamber 8. Valves are-inserted at any suitable places in the systemby opening or closing of which the suction may be efiected in both thedirect return pipe 14 and return pipe 15 from the radiators or in eitherset of pipes independently of the others. After the heating is v ellstarted the valve in the pipe 12, is regulated to admit the desiredquantity of steam into the suction chamber to produce the requireddegree of suction to effect the desired rate of circulation. A pipe 18,is connected with the inlet pipe 40, by means of a valve 4%, and leadsto the sewer main adapting the system being cleaned out at any timedesirable by opening the valve 14:.

lVith this system the pressure of the steam does not have to be raisedas high as in other systems as the water is suctioned from the pipesthereby obviating the necessity for the steam being raised to asufficiently high pressure to force the water from the pipes before thesteam can reach the radiators.

This permits economy in both steam and fuel and effects a considerablesaving. The air returning with the water from the radiators passesthrough pipes 18 or 19, into air chamber 17, and is admitted from saidchamber to the atmosphere. However, neither atmospheric air can enterthe system through said chamber nor can steam escape from the system forrespect to the air valve.

The cycle of operation of the system in all its phases is the sameirrespective of whether or not a continuous operation is taking place orthe system is being started up for the first reasons heretofore setforth with time. hen the boiler is fired up a certain amount of steam isgenerated, which passes upwardly through the pipe 4:, and, owing to theback pressure in the system, due to the inertia of the water and air inthe radiators and in the returns therefrom, the steam first generatedpasses downwardly through the pipe 12, and through the inspirator 8,whereupon meeting entrained cold water condenses, thus causing aninjector action to take place, and producing a suction on the radiatorreturns which are connected into the inspirator at said pipe 13. Ofcourse, with a slight reduction of pressure in the radiator returns thelive steam leaving the boiler rushes upwardly through the risers andinto the various radiators, although, of course, the injector actiontaking place in the inspirator continues, the amount thereof of course,being regulable by a valve shown connected in pipe 12. Of course, air isliable to be entrained in the system, especially when the same has beenout of use, and for the purpose of ridding the system of the entrainedair an air chamber 17 is provided with an inlet pipe 18 communicatingtherewith and connected in the radiator return line, so that as the airis drawn into the radiator returns due to the suction of the inspiratorit will pass into the air chamber 17, and inasmuch as said chamber 18 isequipped with a conventional type of radiator valve 20, the air which isalways a great deal cooler than the vapor circulating in the system,will be permitted to pass out through the valve 20, but should vaporfind access to said chamber 17, and tend to flow outwardly through saidvalve 20, the valve 20, of course being thermostatic, as is usual insuch type of valves, will close and prevent escape of the vapor. Anyvapor that passes into the air chamber 17, and condenses flows throughthe pipe 19 into the radiator return 13. It is apparent that due to thedouble connection on said air chamber 17, by means of said inlet pipe 18and outlet pipe 19, that the pressure in said air chamber is maintainedsubstantially the same as that of the return line of the system, so thatas the water flows through the returns, air entrained therewith, willnaturally pass upwardly into said air chamber, which is disposed abovethe boiler and above the return line to be thereby collected in saidchamber, and although said chamber may at times be below atmosphericpressure it is impossible for outside air to enter through the valve 20,owing to the construction thereof, said valve acting as a check valve toprevent air from ever flowing inwardly into the chamber 17 Shouldsufficient air, however, be entrained in the system, as to tend to causethe same to become air bound, generation of steam within the boiler willof course cause the pressure to rise with a consequent rise of pressurein said air chamber 17, and the same rising above atmospheric will causethe air to flow outwardly to the atmosphere.

Inasmuch as the system is a closed system it has been found that verylittle air finds access thereto after the same is in operation, and thechief function of the air chamber 17 is to collect and relieve thesystem of air when first starting up.

I have shown the pipe 14-, which is the return of the steam loop, asconnected into the cross pipe 13, to which the radiator return pipe 15,is also connected, so that the inspirating efi ect serving to draw thewater through the radiator return will also maintain a certain flow inthe steam loop. However, the pipe 14, may be connected at the pipe 10,so as to be practically unaffected by the suction of the inspirator, andI have found that the very slight circulation which then takes placethrough the steam loop 4t and 14:, is thoroughly practical. Of course, achamber 17, connected into the system and above the water line thereofserves to cushion. the system to prevent water hammering and suddentransfers of slugs of water which produce a disagreeable noise.

The construction disclosed is exceedingly simple and highly efficientand it is obvious that the construction may be modified in many ways andthe connections arranged in any suitable manner to produce the resultsdesired.

I have shown but one very simple construction and I am fully aware thatnumerous changes may be made without departing from the principles ofthis invention. it therefore do not desire to limit myself otherwisethan necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A steam heating system, comprising a steam generator, a steam pipeleading from said generator to the supply side of the system, a returnfor the system, an air chamber communicating with said return, athermostatically controlled valve connected to said air chamber andadapted to permit cold air to escape, to prevent admission ofatmospheric air and to cushion the system under excessive internalpressure, a condensation chamber with which the system returncommunicates, and an ejector in said chamber connected with the supplyside of the system for returning the water of condensation to thegenerator.

2. A steam heating system, comprising a steam generator, a steam pipeleading from said generator to the supply side of the system, a returnfor the system, an air chamber communicating with said return, a valvechamber connected to said air chamber, valves in said valve chamberclosing in opposite directions, the discharge valve beingthermostatically controlled and said valves cooperating to close thedischarge from said chamber under access of steam to said chamber, acondensation chamber with which the system return communicates, and anejector in said chamber connected with the supply side of the system forreturning the water of condensation to the generator.

3. A steam heating system, comprising a steam generator, a steam pipeleading from said generator directly to the supply side of the system,a. single return pipe for the whole system, an air chamber communicating with said return, a valve chamber con nected to said air chamber,valves in said valve chamber closing in opposite directions, thedischarge valve being thermostatically controlled and said valvescooperating to close the discharge from said chamber under access ofsteam to said chamber, a condensation chamber with which the systemreturn communicates, a return pipe leading from said condensationchamber to said generator, and an injector pipe tapped into said steampipe and discl'iarging in said chamber between the point of entrancethereinto of the inlet from the system return pipe and the connectiontherewith of the generator return pipe.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES A. STJERNQUIST.

Witnesses:

K. E. HANNAH, A. T. CoNoANNoN.

Eunice of this patent may be obtained for five Washington, D. G.

